Improvement in car-couplings



w. H.V FORKER.

Car Coupling.

vPalented Sept. 247, 1864.

,ENE

Witnesses= W@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'VILLIAM H. FORKER, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HIM- SELF AND Gr. HEMLER, OF SAME PLAGE, AND SAID HEMLER ASSIGNOR TO HENRY BALDWIN, JR., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COU PLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 14,484, dated September 27, 1864; antedatcd September 18, 1864.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, WILLIAM H. FORKER, of Meadville, in the county of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new kand Improved (Jar-Coupling and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this speeideation, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of my invention, taken in the line a' a, Fig. 2; Fig. 2, atransverse vertical section ofthe same, taken in the line y y, Fig. l.

Similar letters ot reference indicate corresp :nding parts in the two figures This invention relates to an iinproved carcoupling of that class which are commonly termed self coupling;7 and it consists in the employment or use ot' a drop-pin connected by a joint to an arm pivoted at the upper part of the draw-head, and having a spring bea-ring against the under side of its back part, i 1l be' ing arranged in such a manner that an osdinary link or shackle in the draw head ofthe car may, on entering the draw-head of an adjoining car, engage itself with the drop-pin, and form a connection between the two cars, while the parts being few and combined, and arranged in a simple way, insure durali ity and prevent the liability of the coupling getting out of perfect working order.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention, l will proceed to describe it.

A represents a draw-head, the front part of which is of flaring form, and has a horizontal recess, a, made in it to receive the link or shackle B.

C is an arm, which may be constructed of wrought-iron, and is secured in the upper part ofthe draw-head by a pivot-bolt, b, on which i-t is allowed to work freely. The back part of the arm C, beyond the pivot-bolt b, has a spring, D, bearing against itsl under side, and this spring has a tendency to keep the front part of said arm pressed down, so that it will bear or rest upon the draw-head, the latter having a groove in its upper surface to receive said arm, so that the top ot' the arm Vand top of the draw-head will be ush with each other.

To the frontend of the arm C, at its und( rside, there is attached by a joint, c, a droppin, D', which passes down into a recess, d, in the draw-head, said recess being in the form of a quarter-circle, as shown in Fig. l, to admit ot' the pin D being shoved back by the link or shackle B, when the latter is forced into the draw-head. The upper part of the pin D has a projection, e, which, when the pin is forced back, bears against the arm (l, and causes it to be forced upwa d, so that the link orshackle may pass behind the pin, the spring D forcing the pin down through the link or shackle after the latter has passed behind the former. When thelink or shackle is subjected to the pull or draft, the pin D bears against the front side, 7, of the recess d. (See Fg.1.)

The pin D is raised so as to release the link or shackle by means of a cord or chain, g, attached to the front end ofthe arm U.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Ihe combination of the arm U and spring D, hinged droppin D', and projection e, constructed and arranged as described, and operating in connection with the draw-head A and link or shackle B, in the manner and for the purposes specified.

WM. II. FORKER.

Witnesses:

M. TRowBnrnGn, JAMES HAZLET. 

